


Porcelain to Ivory to Steel

by stevesherdaddynow



Series: Promises, Promises [7]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Rumors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 11:57:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19905337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevesherdaddynow/pseuds/stevesherdaddynow
Summary: Reader returns to school and learns what Hopper meant about not being done with the faculty, which leads to overhearing a conversation she can't unhear....





	Porcelain to Ivory to Steel

**Author's Note:**

> And away...we...go...

The rest of the weekend after your second stint in the hospital is spent alternating between relaxing on Hopper’s couch and relaxing on the couch in the Wheeler basement, as you find yourself immersed in another D&D campaign with the kids. No matter the location, Steve is there with you, stretched out on the couch, his head in your lap as he flips through one of the kids’ comic books. With one hand, you scoop and roll your dice when it’s your turn, and with the other, you’re carding through Steve’s fluffy mop of hair. It’s the best weekend you can ever remember having, full of orcs and elves and the kids’ laughter and Steve, and…it’s a wonder you didn’t see what was coming next.

* * *

When you get to school on Monday morning, everything is fine. You’re holding hands with Steve, Robin is at your side, and Jonathan waves you three over to where he and Nancy are waiting. Jonathan seems to sense how nervous you are so he scoops you up into a hug and spins you around until you’re laughing and shrieking at him to let you down. You head into the building feeling a little bit lighter, and, really, that was mistake number one.

The day goes smoothly up until fifth period, when you’re greeted not by your regular English teacher, Ms. Johnson, but by the assistant principal, Mr. Jenkins. “All right, class, settle down. Ms. Johnson, at the recommendation of the superintendent and the police department, has been let go from Hawkins High. Some of you may have heard this speech earlier, as her termination was one of nine, but it bears repeating.”

You listen, numb, as the assistant principal reads off of a paper in his hands, droning on about the zero tolerance bullying policy the school is adopting, and how not even faculty are exempt from it; as he does so, you feel several pairs of eyes turn to you, and a chill creeps up your spine. This must be what Hopper had meant when he said that he wasn’t done with the faculty just yet, and didn’t want you in school on Friday.

The bell rings, and you’re so anxious to get away from all the glares that you forget you’re supposed to wait for Steve to come meet you at the classroom before you leave, and you bolt from the room, darting into the nearest restroom and locking yourself in a stall. You pull your feet up on the toilet and press your face into your knees, trying to hold back from sobbing. The door opens, and you hear the footsteps of at least four people come in before you hear the door to the bathroom lock.

The room quickly starts to smell of tobacco and you realize it’s Carol’s group that’s entered the bathroom behind you. You start to kick yourself mentally, realizing how stupid it was to let your emotions take over instead of waiting for Steve to come get you.

“Can you believe they fired nine teachers over that lying little skank?” Carol asks as the girls in her group all start laughing. “I mean, first she gets poor Billy sent to prison for supposedly raping her, when we all know he wouldn’t hurt a fly - unless, of course, you asked him to.” The girls start laughing again, and Carol continues. “Though, let’s be honest here, the only reason he got convicted is because Chief Hopper testified against him, but we’ve all seen the two of _them_ together. I guess I have to give her _some_ credit - fucking the chief of police to get what she wants is way more badass than I ever thought she could be.”

The inside of your cheek is already raw from gnawing at it anxiously, and your mouth fills with the taste of copper at her insinuation that your relationship with Hopper is something dirty.

“Seriously,” another girl adds. “I mean, I’ve done some messed up shit to try and get my way, but fucking _Hopper?_ This is the guy, mind you, who’s fucked his way through every woman over the age of 18 in Hawkins.”

Carol and the rest of the girls outright cackle at that. “God, did you hear he even fucked the _librarian?”_ The room is silent except for the sound of them pulling drags of their cigarettes. “I wonder if the superintendent would be doing so much to help her if he knew Hopper was pussy-whipped. I bet getting that news out would shut the little slut up. What's the conviction rate for statutory do you think?”

Your blood runs cold at the idea of Hopper getting into trouble because of Carol running her ugly mouth. If the last few weeks were any indication, all it takes is a few bad seeds to spin the same rumor for it to grow legs. With a fresh wave of panic, you start to think of the rumors that might get spread about the rest of your group - people could find out about Eleven, or the deeply personal secret Robin had shared with you and you alone…you take a deep breath as quietly as you can and start to come up with a plan.

The warning bell rings, and Carol’s group snuffs out their cigarettes, leaving quietly. When you’re sure they’re gone, you exit the stall, splash your face with cold water, and look at yourself in the mirror. You roll your shoulders back, steeling yourself for what you need to do, and calmly leave the bathroom….

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all were getting nice and comfortable with the softness, weren't ya? Well SURPRISE here comes the angst and it's coming in HOT


End file.
